#and he stopped and looked at light's dad and went ''whoaa hes so cool.'' and then almost ran out

[infizero]

WHAT IS HAPPENINGGGGGG WHY IS RYUK CRUSHING ON LIGHT'S DAD

[caroline18mars]

A Man On Fire - Chapter 18

Oh just fuck off, Sean, who needs you and your dramaqueen anyway? Ever so slowly she tried to sit up, oh djeezes her back was absolute agony, but hey she was moving, oh yes yes yes, awwawww, motherf...! free, yes yes freeeee at last! She crawled from under the last wooden board and pulled herself up on a chair into an almost standing position, the couch was closest, one foot in front of the other, oh yesss, ooooohh touchdown..she finally sat down and looked at her painting, she couldn't tell from this distance if the canvas was cracked or damaged or not, please don't let it be torn. Painkiller, oh she needed a painkiller, where was her bag? She rummaged through her bag for a second and downed the pill with a big swig of her wine, ohhh, please kick in, like right now?! She slowly let herself slide against the cushions and took out her phone, she needed some kind of interaction, comfort, right now, and if it wasn't gonna be Sean and his trollup then it was gonna be Joe

From: HCDeRobiano

To: BJLCubbins

Subject: Re: Hellooooo???

Joe,

You're asking if I'm ok, well you know what, I'm not even gonna answer that, I'll say this one thing though, I'll do my best to be there, (even if I have to show up in a wheelchair)

A domani!

Coco

Huh? A wheelchair? He finally heard from her and now she seemed to be in a wheelchair? Not that that was an issue but he just had a different view of her in mind. Was that a pang of dissapointment, no..but..had he played this scene in his head on too fastforward? Wait, what mattered really here? Her mails, her personality or a...possible disability? Come on, don't be such an ass, just read it again, 'even if', see that is something completely different than...oh will you stop, Leto, for fuck's sake! Just be happy if she'll show up tomorrow!

From: BJLCubbins

To: HCDeRobiano

Subject:Re: re: Hellooooo???

Coco,

Did something happen? Because I got a bit worried about the 'wheelchair' thing, or maybe that is permanent? I guess I just realized that I don't know you all that much!

Regards

Joe

He so wasn't gonna show up, he was not gonna show up, what the fuck? And what a shitty thing to say about the 'wheelchair' thing? Ok, so he didn't specifically say it, but she could just feel what he was thinking..so what if she had some kind of disability? which she didn't really, were you one of those guys, Cubbins? All superficial and shit? you twat! She growled a bit and balanced the phone on her forehead. Now what? Make a complete loon of yourself and show up, knowing full well you're gonna be stood up for the second time? Or interpret this mail differently and read into it that he's actually curious about you, with that last part about not knowing much about each other or better, knowing nothing at all about each other? Tomorrow was another day and right now she was gonna do nothing more than let the beautiful mix of alcohol and painkiller bounce around in her system and throw a veil over the pain in her back. Close to midnight, he could still feel the Big Apple vibrate up to him behind the closed window on the 7th floor, this city was as restless as he was, if NY was a woman, he would have married her a long time ago, she begged him to dissapear into her night filled with drunks, poets, addicts, lovers, freaks, writers but he had to refuse, there was no way he was gonna risk repeating the same mistake. Nope, na-ah, no way, he was gonna show up, wait and be completely stunned, shocked, surprised by his blind date, he shuddered, he hated the concept of surprise but not this time, he was too intrigued. You know what, if it all went belly-up and she didn't show up or she wasn't what he had expected, then he could always call Harper, right? Hmm, kill 2 birds with one stone, why the hell not? How long could it possibly take to find a name and a number? In Shayla's case obviously a loooonggg time! Go to bed, Jared, just get in bed and read a book, take your mind off things, you'll need the morning to pick an outfit, you need to look sharp.

Harper's eyes fluttered open, she tried to wiggle her toes, hallelullah, she could still move, hand and fingers working fine..and now the tricky part, oooufff, sitting up, back is better, oohhh yes..twist upper body a bit, nice, ok, not too sore, rest up properly and save yourself a doctor's visit, yep that was gonna be her motto from now on. With a bit of a huff and a puff, she stood up and slowly plodded to the fridge, empty..damn..ok, hot shower first, some grocery shopping and then..and then treat yourself to a hot bagel, missed those sooo much, dayummm! Something hot was definitely what she needed when she stepped outside, when had autumn turned into winter? Overnight? Note to self: must look for a warmer coat, brrrr, ok, shopping,..oh slowlyyy..her back, awwww! Don't slouch, straighten your shoulders, ladies never run, hello mother..please go away, ok..shop, let's go. Omnomnom, this bagel was pure heaven, ooohh hothothot though, she juggled the grocery bags to take her key when some mail guy ran up to her “De Robiano?” hearing her name made her turn her head and nod “yes”. She took the enveloppe that he handed to her and recognized the name of her Dad's lawyer, oh fuck, what now? she pushed the enveloppe in one of the bags and opened her door, let's see what Daddy dearest had in store for her this time.

Jared stepped in front of the mirror for the umpteenth time, this shirt..but another pair of trousers then? Will you just decide what to wear? Casual? Rock? Sporty? Suit?...why not mix and match? Hair up? Braid? Loose? For a split second he missed Shayla and her advice..oh no he didn't, 11:30, get a move on. Harper just sat there at her kitchen counter digesting the news, a door slamming downstairs pulled her out of her daze..what time was it? 11:30, well, this day just couldn't get any worse so didn't matter if she went or not. Catching a glimpse of himself in the window as he exited the hotel, he was pretty happy with his mix and match after all, black long sleeved T-shirt, black jeans, dinner jacket and a long blue hippie scarf, casual bohemian chic, “need a cab, Sir?” one of the doormen asked, “yeah, Times Square, please”. One last look in the mirror, are you sure you want to get stood up again? Cool outfit though, 'beep'

From: BJLCubbins

To: HCDeRobiano

Subject: So..

I'm on my way..

Joe

Oh, really? On your way to anywhere but Times Square probably..could this mail be any shorter? was it even worth answering? Stay or go? She grabbed her bag, here went absolutely nothing.

12:30..ok, half an hour to go, first some tea to calm his stuttering nerves, he got out of the car and tried to be as incognito as possible finding his way to the nearest coffeeshop, every woman that walked past him could be her, the girl with the blonde ponytail? the curvy businesswoman? Stop assuming things, it'll drive you nuts, try to enjoy the moment, after all, how long have you been looking forward to this? You even flew half across the world to be here for her, he quickly checked his phone, nothing..don't you dare stand me up now we've both come so far. 'Times Square', ok this was it, she took a deep breath and got out of the train amidst all the tourists, the commuters and all the people on their way to wherever, but she had a designated spot waiting for her, hopefully he was waiting for her too this time. Uhhh, slow down girl, think of your back, he kept her waiting the first time around, now she was gonna turn the tables on him and he would have to wait for her. Ah, the billboards, the lights, the crowded streets, every time she exited the subway the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, to her this was like the centre of the world, this was one of the things she liked so much about New York, the hussle and the bussle of this city by the water was unnerving for many, but like a warm blanket for her. 12:55..ok, he downed his tea in one go, was that a light tremble in his hand when he put down the cup? Just..just go, it'll be alright, how long have you been looking forward to this moment?

 Ok, deep breath, he walked out of the coffeeshop and into the cold, harsh wind, M&M's..M&M's..oh right that way, he kept his head down as he crossed the street with the masses, the minute he was on the right side of the street, his shoes seemed to stick to the pavement, that's how slow he was going, like he wanted to register every step, every breath of cold air he took on this crazy moment, in his head like this was the most pivotal moment in his life. 10 steps more..and..he was here..ok, what was he supposed to do now? How was he ever going to recognize her if he had never seen her? Wait, this girl was checking him out..and then turned back to talk to her boyfriend..ok next..whoaa, sweetheart way too young, what are you? 13? nope, look around, look like you belong here, oh sweet jesus, being on a stage in front of thousands of people was way easier than standing here waiting for some kind of..blind date. What would she look like? Definitely some artistic woman..and none of those were to be found here..she is so gonna stand me up, shut up and just wait, it's only..1:05. She hated this snail-like pace, but it was too painful if she sped up, ah there it was..just a few more metres, god it's so crowded here. She let out a big breath, glad to be standing still again, and zipped up her jacket a little higher and rolled her scarf around her neck one more time, ok she was here, where was he? Every guy here seemed to be a tourist with the typical tourist outfits she hated so much, and since when were bean bags back in style? Oh, just don't look at me, aren't you ashamed of yourself, your wife and kids are walking right next to you? Oh watch where you're going? Whose idea was it to meet here at this tourist trap anyway? With every minute that ticked away his hope started to dwindle, it was just too crowded, too busy and all the faces started to blur the more he looked around. The honk of a carhorn startled him and right when he turned again, the crowd seemed to split in two and that's when he saw her...there she was, a vision in leather pants, a jeans jacket and a huge scarf..everything clicked in his head, HC..and her name just rolled from his lips “HARPER”. Hearing her name made her head shoot up and their eyes locked. Ohhhh..what?...but..oh my god. Like in slow motion, he came running up to her like he was gonna throw his arms around her but he stopped in his tracks with a killer smile on his face “Coco..Harper..Harper Coco De Robiano..heeyyy”.

[booksbwaybadflower]

CURSED CHILD!!

One of the biggest queerbaits of 2016, but still a high-quality story before the Scene Which Must Not Be Named. This was honestly one of the best experiences of my life and I have to tell you guys about it, or at least type it all out before I forget the details (I mean, it took all day to see.)

Naturally, this will contain MAJOR spoilers for both the live show and the script (as well as the seven-book series), so read at your own risk! (I really can’t do this thing justice by writing it all out, either, so if you’re willing to die for a ticket, trust me, it’s worth it). There were signs everywhere around the theatre telling me to #keepthesecrets, but it was hard to be vague in some places. Trying my best not to be Wormtail. If you haven’t seen it, just don’t read this. :)

First things first, the LIGHTING. I am a slut for good lighting effects and this was no disappointment. Smoke machines to reveal beams of light, dry ice for the dream sequences, projections and colors and perfectly-placed spots, this show had everything. That, of course, paired with the fantastic backdrop, and it was breathtaking. The set consisted mainly of old-fashioned suitcases – doubling as gravestones, the top of the train, chairs, tables, columns, and more – and were so fun to see be taken offstage in unison.

The scene changes were choreographed! Along with the score that fit perfectly with the story (and wasn’t at all your classic, whimsical Harry Potter theme music, I might add, but much deeper and more intimidating), actors would swoosh their capes over the set piece they were about to take off IN TIME TO THE BEAT OF THE UNDERSCORE. And it was like a movie – music going in and out unnoticeably. Sadly there was no live orchestra, but the music cues were all exact. As for the choreography, anytime they wanted to either buy time or add intensity, the ensemble members came onstage with their cloaks to do twirls and jumps and bring the props in and out of the center all symmetrically, then the lights would snap on and everyone would snap to position almost as if it were a jumpcut in a movie. It was astounding.

Now, the effects. I have no idea how they did most of them! They held the time-turner between their hands – suspended in the air – but I’m pretty sure there were no strings, with the way they were tossing it around. Going into the Ministry of Magic, the actors turned around, walked into the telephone booth, and the thing SUCKED THEM INTO THE PHONE. I DON’T KNOW HOW. Despite watching for a trapdoor opening or SOMETHING, there may as well have been actual witches on that stage. Similarly, the polyjuice potion. Sure, they’d stick their head under their cloak and another head would come out, so it’s easy to assume that the second actor was under the cloak. But here’s the weird part – Delphi, for example, transformed into Hermione, then, once transformed, flung her cape over her shoulder and walked to the other side of the stage. No lump of another person. But the one where I actually muttered “no way” out loud to was when she and Scorpius-turned-Harry ran through a door stage right to escape from the voices of the real Harry and Hermione growing closer and closer, then the moment the door closed behind them, Harry and Hermione entered stage LEFT. This, my friends, is not possible. Either they both have identical twins, or there was actual teleportation happening on that stage. There was not enough time at all for them to slide through a trapdoor and take off their cloaks and return to the other side of the stage. I can’t stop thinking about that. And the DEMENTORS! I can’t believe how good they looked. Whatever material they used was perfectly flowey, and when they first came out at the end of Part I, one of them flew out into the audience and directly in front of where I was sitting. Chills, dude!

The invisibility cloak bit was cool – Albus and Scorpius duck under it and hide behind a bookshelf in the library, then McGonagall enters, trying to catch them. She looks around for a moment, and a chair shifts in front of her. Then another chair. Then a stack of books topples over. She pretends she doesn’t see anything (love her), and then Scorbus appears behind a different bookshelf. I’m literally so impressed.

The swimming during the second task reminded me of how The Little Mermaid did some of their swimming effects when travelling Broadway brought it a few months ago.

Every time someone used a time turner and landed at their destination, there was this ripple effect that effected the entire stage that I can’t describe in words. The whole audience went “whoaa” the first time it happened; we were all so convinced that the solid walls were wavering. Maybe it was lighting or something, but if it was, even staring at one stationary beam on the fly didn’t get me to see it. The illusion worked so well as an indication of time travel, especially with the underscore!

Now, it’s been a while since I read the screenplay, but as an actor I know that no one sticks exactly to the script when performing live. It’s hard to say how many of the added lines, directions, expressions, and pauses were character choices versus improvised today, but they all worked great. Specifically in Part II, when Scorpius comes back into reality from the hell dimension. He sings a few of his lines, and shouts a lot more lines than necessary, which leads me to…

When Scorpius doesn’t know what to do, he just screams. Some notable examples –

Scorpius is on the train alone, and Albus decides to sit with him. He offers him sweets. He screams.

Albus and Scorpius are trapped in Godric’s Hollow, 1981. Their parents travel back to find them. As soon as Albus sees his parents, he runs to them and hugs his father. Scorpius runs to his dad and then stops. He screams. (“We can hug too, if you like,” Draco says.)

Scorpius is getting emotional trying to explain to Delphi how much they’ve screwed up time. He screams. Then he quickly mutters “sorrysorrysorrysorrysorry.”

That’s the thing, too. He’s so unbelievably human. This actor has such a way of getting into this character’s head and making him three-dimensional that it’s brilliant. Not only does he quickly back off as soon as he finds himself shouting, he is jumpy and self-conscious and always unsure what to do with himself, trying so hard to win everyone’s approval. His hand gestures – especially in Part I – are awkward and fidgety, but as he gets to know Albus better and better, he relaxes around him and doesn’t shout so much. That might be what made the montage so sad, when they were forbidden to see each other. You watch Scorpius’s walls go back up. You watch him recede into his old, outcasted, eleven-year-old self. Hence my tearing up when Albus told him that he never believed the rumors about Scorpius being Voldemort’s child since he was so kindhearted. When Scorpius teared up (probably the first time he had gotten a genuine compliment like that), I did, too.

For some reason, Scorpius is oddly obsessed with Bathilda Bagshot. When they go to Godric’s Hollow, he sees her door there and exclaims that he recognizes it. She opens the door and walks past, where Scorpius then jumps up and down in excitement. “My geekiness is a-quivering!” Later, they need an ingredient from her house and he knows that she notoriously left her house unlocked. He tries the door. It opens. He quietly screams.

And the characters. Scorpius was of course my absolute favorite thanks to the brilliantly talented actor’s – Anthony Boyle’s – take on him, but Ron was the perfect comic relief. Young Harry was adorable and just how I imagined him in the books. Ginny was just like her mother, and Draco just like himself. Also the Sorting Hat was a fedora. I personally felt like Delphi was too flat of a character and therefore we do see her big plot twist coming a little bit, and I didn’t like that Harry shouted so much (sometimes it’s more fun to see an actor trying to fight an intense outbreak than exploding into one), but otherwise this was a very well-cast show. My favorite part of Ron’s character was his lack of a filter, in a sense. Whatever he was thinking, he said. While standing up and removing his coat, “I’d like to volunteer to be transfigured into Voldemort. I don’t know why I’m taking my coat off.”

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, my analysis on how gay this particular performance was! As we all know, the lines in themselves are very cute (“Hi, Scorpius. No, I mean I’m Scorpius. You’re Albus. Scorpius.” “If I had to choose a companion to watch the return of eternal darkness with, I’d choose you.” “Always.”), but there were little things, too. Like Amos pointing his wand at Albus to threaten him, and Scorpius instinctively putting his arm in the line of fire should he try to curse him. All of the hugs were balancing the line between awkward and sentimental. There was even a little nose boop during the Scene Which Must Not Be Named. The flirtiest part, though, was definitely in the bathroom with Moaning Myrtle. “Engorgio,” Albus commands a piece of soap, which then magically grows. “Consider me engorg-impressed,” says Scorpius before turning around and walking out, covering his face with his hands. Tell me that’s not a really bad pickup line he’s embarrassed that he actually said.

It’s just odd how much of the show is read differently than it was performed. I read Scorpius to be this shy, insecure kid, but Anthony Boyle played him to be constantly embarrassed by himself and shouting nearly everything he says, then regretting it. The scene I sobbed the most at while reading – Hagrid finding baby Harry – was played comically live. The scene I found the most hard to read – Harry seeing his parents die (and every other character’s reaction) – was the most heartbreaking live. I am literally blessed to have been able to see the difference between stage and script (and meet the actors at the stage door!!) and it was worth every pound.